The Archaeology of Conflict in Brazil

Abstract

The recent history of archaeology in Brazil has been troubled. Brazilian archaeology emerged in the nineteenth century. However, it was only after World War II that it acquired academic status, especially thanks to Paulo Duarte’s initiative. The military coup in April 1964 marked a turning point for the discipline, which tended to follow French humanism inspired by Leroi-Gourhan and human rights respect. From that moment on, the country suffered at the hands of an increasingly repressive regime. At first, many politicians, trade union leaders and intellectuals were dismissed. Finally, political violence gave way to the Ato Institucional N° 5 (Institutional Act Number 5)¹ (1968), military government (1969), and the exile, detention and murder of political opponents. In 1964, the political alliance between the United States and Brazil encouraged the creation of a Programa Nacional de Pesquisas Arqueológicas (National Program of Archaeological Research) with headquarters in Washington. In 1969, the promotion of pro-government researchers proved to be connected with the dismissal of critical thinkers such as Paulo Duarte and the intention to destroy the Instituto de Pré-História da Universidade de São Paulo (Institute of Prehistory of the University of Sao Paulo – Duarte 1994).